Stealing the show : how women are revolutionizing television
(Book)

"Female writers, directors, and producers have radically transformed the television industry in recent years. Shonda Rhimes, Lena Dunham, Tina Fey, Amy Schumer, Mindy Kaling: These extraordinary women have shaken up the entertainment landscape, making it look as if equal opportunities abound. But things weren't always this rosy. It took decades of determination in the face of preconceived ideas and outright exclusion to reach the current moment...Veteran journalist Joy Press tells the story of the maverick women who broke through barricades, starting with Roseanne Barr (Roseanne) and Diane English (Murphy Brown), whose iconic shows redefined America's idea of 'family values' and incited controversy that reached as far as the White House. Barr and English inspired the next generation of female TV writers and producers to carve out the creative space and executive power needed to present radically new visions of women on the small screen. Showrunners like Amy Sherman-Palladino (Gilmore Girls), Jenji Kohan (Weeds, Orange is the New Black), and Jill Soloway (Transparent) have created characters and story lines that have changed how women are seen and how they see themselves, in the process remaking the culture at large."--page 2 of cover.